Ayodele P•••

About

On the record

I was born in the small Caribbean nation of St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), but my journey took root in Barbados when my family moved there when I was just one. From an early age, I excelled in school. I skipped Grade 1 because I was "too" smart, only to spend two years in Grade 6 because I was "too" young for high school. At eight years old, my entrepreneurial spirit emerged, selling nuts and grapes in my community and at sporting events. This small venture grew into a thriving 6-figure business, but untimely death and separation ultimately thwarted its ongoing success, and I had to return to SVG as a teenager. Education transformed my life by opening doors I never thought possible. As the first in my family to attend college, I navigated countless obstacles. From overcoming financial challenges to breaking barriers, my educational journey instilled in me a relentless drive and deep-seated passion for ensuring every child can experience the same life-changing power of education. This belief is the cornerstone of my career in education technology. With 12 years of teaching, 3 years at an examination board, and experience as a college lecturer, university lecturer, and administrator, as well as being a parent of four, I've seen the education system from every angle. I co-founded SmartTerm to revolutionize education through technology, ensuring every child can achieve their full potential. Our suite of tools meets the evolving demands of today's education landscape, and our national implementation is transforming education in SVG and hundreds of other schools across the Caribbean. As a strategic problem solver and leader, I've reversed losses into profits, transformed underperforming teams into top performers, worked on projects worth up to $300 million, and been named one of the top 5 innovators in the Caribbean. As CEO of SmartTerm, I've grown the company 10-fold over the past 18 months. My mission is rooted in my own transformative journey through education. Fundamentally, I believe every child is born with potential and purpose, and it's our job to mine that talent and help each child discover their purpose. The current education system, designed for compliance and uniformity, needs to be redefined to achieve that objective. We need a system that adequately develops our greatest asset – our people and their humanity. When not working, I enjoy playing the guitar, meeting new people at networking events, reading, watching and playing football, serving in my church, and spending quality time with my family.